Did you know that guns are being printed from a 3D printer? Now imagine this: your teenage son got his hands on an untraceable printed gun and is now using it to cause trouble in neighborhoods. Teens are acquiring 3D-printed guns, and it’s causing havoc in local neighborhoods. An article from EverytownResearch.org gives a case of two people, a 20-year-old and a 16-year-old, being shot and wounded with a ghost gun as recently as February 25, 2025 in Philadelphia. Now, imagine if your son were the one who got shot. This creates challenges because people who are in these neighborhoods are being affected heavily by not being able to sleep and getting caught in crossfire. Therefore, 3D printing companies/manufacturers should implement a system that would block attempts to print ghost guns.
There are a multitude of people who are now using printers for something other than making copies. Can you imagine guns being made from printers, 3D printers to be exact? The latest Glock, ARP (Assault Rifle Pistol), and the recent gun modifications and 3D printing of guns have taken a heavy toll on people. For instance, EveryTownResearch.org states. “Like other kinds of ghost guns, 3DPFs lack serial numbers, so law enforcement is unable to trace them back to their owner when they are recovered in a crime.” This evidence indicates that ghost guns could be worse than regular firearms, as ghost guns differ in many ways, from undermining all gun laws to making it difficult to prevent gun violence and solve crimes. In the same article, ”3DPFs are untraceable and require no background check; they are particularly attractive to gun traffickers who can print dozens of firearms and avoid raising alarms.” This explicates that the true dangers of ghost guns are far beyond comprehension.
Overall, ghost guns need to be put to a stop permanently, or more and more cases will start to appear. According to ABC News, “In the last few months, there have been incidents of gunfire on school grounds in Arizona, New Mexico, Maryland, and Kansas, done with ghost guns — highlighting a scary trend. Unsecured guns in the home are the source of guns used in three out of four shootings, but ghost guns are a rising trend due to the easy accessibility for teens, and allow teenagers to have do-it-yourself weapons sent to their home with no background check.” This makes it clear that 3D printers are a problem with teens. The main problem with teens using a 3D printer to print guns is that many teens think guns or firearms are cool to own, show off, and use, but the use of guns can lead to a lot of things, such as a criminal record, being enemies with someone. It can lead to people getting hurt in crossfire when using a firearm. Most 3D printers shouldn’t be able to print guns and anything related to guns because things like that could lead to problems for people and cause many people to be unsure of their safety. Many people should stop 3D printing guns and gun modifications for obvious reasons, and should ultimately do some sort of algorithm for a 3D printer.
To solve this problem, 3D printer manufacturers should develop an algorithm to detect when a gun/gun modification is being printed and stop or block the printing process. As we can see from EveryTownResearch.org, it gives multiple solutions to the constant problem of 3D printing guns/gun modifications. “A multipronged strategy is essential. This includes 3D-printer manufacturers and software companies developing and implementing algorithms that detect and block the printing of firearms and accessories. In concert with the 3D-printing industry, lawmakers should take steps to regulate 3D-printing technology in a manner that makes it impossible to use a 3D printer to print a gun.”
As you can see, multiple ways to solve the problem have been presented and could be used to solve this massive scare across many neighborhoods, roads, and schools. Many software companies could develop the solution and finally put a stop to the 3D-printed guns/gun modifications. The stop to 3D-printed guns can benefit people who were victims of gun violence and neighborhoods that have been in the crossfire of gun violence cases. It’s not too late to take action and put a stop to the 3D-printed guns. The very few cases of 3D-printed guns can give the manufacturers an opportunity to actually stop people from attempting to print a gun. In the future, I see companies changing their rules and putting an end to illegal activity. You could help the word spread by making a simple post about the ghost guns or spreading the word to people you know will listen, and 3D printers can still be viewed as a fun tool to use.
